tow GMC ACADIA 2013 Owner's Guide

Black plate (11,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-11
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1.
Locate the statement“The
combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs” on your vehicle's
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or
XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX”
amount equals 1400 lbs and
there will be five 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle,
the amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400
−750 (5 x 150)
= 650 lbs).
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, the load from your
trailer will be transferred to
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo
and luggage load capacity for
your vehicle.
See Trailer Towing on page 9‑46
for important information on
towing a trailer, towing safety
rules and trailering tips.Example 1
1.
Vehicle Capacity Weight for
Example 1 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).
2.Subtract Occupant Weight @
68 kg (150 lbs) × 2 = 136 kg
(300 lbs).
3.Available Occupant and
Cargo Weight = 317 kg
(700 lbs).

Black plate (14,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
9-14 Driving and Operating
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:The vehicle does not
need an elaborate break-in. But it
will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
.If you have all-wheel drive,
keep your speed at 88 km/h
(55 mph) or less for the first
805 km (500 mi).
.Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the first 805 km (500 mi).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 mi) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See Driving
Characteristics and Towing
Tips on page 9‑43 for the
trailer towing capabilities of
your vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
In order to shift out of P (Park), the
ignition must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the brake pedal
must be applied.
Notice: Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,

Black plate (15,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-15
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer.
((STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF): When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑18.
This position locks the ignition,
transmission, and the steering
wheel when the key Is removed
from the ignition. The key can be
removed in LOCK/OFF.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
does not work, then the vehicle
needs service. Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park) to
turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position. 4. Set the parking brake. See
Parking Brake on page 9‑26.{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
ACC (ACC/ACCESSORY): This is
the position in which you can
operate the electrical accessories or
items plugged into the accessory
power outlets. This position unlocks
the ignition and steering wheel. Use
this position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.

Black plate (18,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
9-18 Driving and Operating
3. Plug the cord into a normal,grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{WARNING
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause an
electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could
overheat and cause a fire. You
could be seriously injured. Plug
the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord will not reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts.
If you do not, it could be
damaged. The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be
used for up to 10 minutes after the
ignition key is turned off:
.Audio System
.Power Windows
.Sunroof (if equipped)
Power to the windows and sunroof
will work up to 10 minutes or until a
door is opened.
The radio continues to work for
10 minutes or until the driver door is
opened.
For an additional 10 minutes of
operation, close all the doors and
turn the key to ON/RUN and then
back to LOCK/OFF. All these features will work when the
key is in the ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY positions.
Shifting Into Park
1. Hold the brake pedal down and
set the parking brake. See
Parking Brake on page 9‑26 for
more information.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by holding in the button on the
shift lever and pushing the shift
lever all the way toward the front
of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the vehicle
with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).

Black plate (19,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-19
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park on
page 9‑18. If you are towing a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑43. If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved
the shift lever into P (Park), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then,
see if you can move the shift lever
away from P (Park) without first
pushing the button.
If you can, it means that the shift
lever was not fully locked in
P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of
the vehicle puts too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not
done properly and then it is difficult
to shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park). To find
out how, see
“Shifting Into Park”
listed previously. If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
Shifting out of Park
The vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is
designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released, and
.Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular
brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery.

Black plate (21,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-21
WARNING (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle:
.Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
.Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
See Shifting Into Park on page 9‑18
and Engine Exhaust on page 9‑20.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑43.
Automatic
Transmission
P (Park): This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.

Black plate (22,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
9-22 Driving and Operating
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park on
page 9‑18 andDriving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
on page 9‑43.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. With the ignition in ON/
RUN, fully apply the regular brake, then press the button on the back of
the shift lever before shifting from
P (Park). If you cannot shift out of
P (Park), ease pressure on the shift
lever, then push the shift lever all
the way into P (Park) as you
maintain brake application. Then
press the shift lever button and
move the shift lever into another
gear. See
Shifting out of Park on
page 9‑19.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑9.
N (Neutral): In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine when the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only. Also, use
N (Neutral) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.

Black plate (23,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
Driving and Operating 9-23
D (Drive):This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than 56 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
Notice: If the vehicle seems to
accelerate slowly or not shift
gears when you go faster, and
you continue to drive the vehicle
that way, you could damage the
transmission. Have the vehicle
serviced right away. You can
drive in L (Low) when you are
driving less than 56 km/h (35 mph)
and D (Drive) for higher speeds
until then.
If the vehicle is stopped on a hill,
with your foot off the brake pedal,
the vehicle may roll. This is normal
and is due to the torque converter
designed to improve fuel economy and performance. Use the brake to
hold the vehicle on a hill. Do not use
the accelerator pedal.
L (Low):
This position gives you
access to gear ranges. This
provides more engine braking but
lower fuel economy than D (Drive).
You can use it on very steep hills,
or in deep snow or mud. See
Manual Mode on page 9‑23.
Manual Mode
Electronic Range Select
(ERS) Mode
ERS mode allows you to choose the
top-gear limit of the transmission
and the vehicle's speed while
driving downhill or towing a trailer.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
position indicator within the
instrument cluster. When using the
ERS mode a number will display
next to the L, indicating the current
gear that has been selected.
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to L (Low).
2. Press the plus/minus button on the shift lever, to increase or
decrease the gear range
available.
When you shift from D (Drive) to
L (Low), the transmission will shift to
a pre-determined lower gear range.
The highest gear available for this
pre-determined range is displayed
next to the L in the DIC. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑23 for more information. The
number displayed in the DIC is the

Black plate (24,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
9-24 Driving and Operating
highest gear that the transmission
will be allowed to operate in. This
means that all gears below that
number are available. For example,
when 4 (Fourth) is shown next to the
L, 1 (First) through 4 (Fourth) gears
are automatically shifted by the
vehicle. The transmission will not
shift into 5 (Fifth) until the + (Plus)
button is used or you shift back into
D (Drive).
While in L (Low), the transmission
will prevent shifting to a lower gear
range if the engine speed is too
high. You have a brief period of time
to slow the vehicle. If vehicle speed
is not reduced within the time
allowed, the lower gear range shift
will not be completed. You must
further slow the vehicle, then press
the−(Minus) button to the desired
lower gear range.
Automatic Engine Grade Braking is
not available when the ERS is
active. It is available in D (Drive) for
both normal and Tow/Haul mode. While using the ERS, cruise control
and the Tow/Haul mode can be
used. See Tow/Haul Mode following.
Tow/Haul Mode
_
(Tow/Haul):
The vehicle may
have a Tow/Haul mode.
The button is located on the
instrument panel under the climate
controls.
Push the button to activate the
system. Push it again to deactivate
the system. You can use this feature
to assist when towing or hauling a
heavy load.
When Tow/Haul is activated the
Tow/Haul symbol will come on in the
instrument cluster. See “Tow/Haul
Mode” underDriving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑43 for
more information.
Automatic Engine Grade
Braking
Automatic Engine Grade Braking
assists when driving on a downhill
grade. It maintains vehicle speed by
automatically implementing a shift
schedule that uses the engine and
the transmission to slow the vehicle.
The system will automatically
command downshifts to reduce
vehicle speed, until the brake pedal
is no longer being pressed.
While in the Electronic Range
Select (ERS) mode, grade braking
is deactivated, allowing the driver to
select a range and limiting the
highest gear available. Grade
braking is available for normal
driving and in Tow/Haul mode.
See Automatic Transmission on
page 9‑21.

Black plate (26,1)Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc2 - 12/11/12
9-26 Driving and Operating
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows you to steer and brake
at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down, then
push the parking brake pedal down.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 5‑18. Notice:
Driving with the parking
brake on can overheat the brake
system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system
parts. Make sure that the parking
brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before
driving.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the park brake pedal.
If the parking brake is not released
when you begin to drive, the brake
system warning light will be on and
a chime will sound warning you that
the parking brake is still on.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9‑43.